Fandom:Deltarune

Characters: Kris Dreemurr, Noelle Holiday, Susie (Mentioned)

Word count: 3118

Summary:

Kris just wanted to forget about the whole day.

Somehow that spirals into a confession 12 years in the making.

Tags:

Implied/Referenced Suicide attempt/Suicide attempt not explicitly stated as being an attempt, Very vaguely implied self harm,

hurt/comfort, one-sided Kris/Susie, childhood memories, self-hatred, self esteem issues, self harming behaviours, hypothermia, Likely medical inaccuracies, cuddling, likely out of character, bittersweet ending, It/Its pronouns for the soul,

Link to fic on ao3:

https://archiveofourown.org/works/89346616

A/N:

I have only recently really gotten back into UTDR but I’ve been here since 2015 trust guys,,,, anyways make sure to read the listed tags as there is some content warnings.

I hope you guys enjoy :)

———————————————

The moment Susie shut the door, Kris felt their throat constrict, everything they had been suppressing flooding through them all at once. Susie’s voice bounced around their head, just repeating the words they didn’t want to hear, “It needs to be…Noelle’s thing too.” They didn’t WANT this to be a Noelle thing. It couldn’t be. This was a Susie and Kris thing! Their prophecy! Their team! All DAY it had been ‘Noelle this, Noelle that!, Do you think Noelle would like these Kris?’ And now Susie was involving Noelle in THEIR thing? Kris felt an all too familiar feeling bubble in their chest, a cauldron of anger, jealousy, sadness, worry. A bitter reminder that, at the end of the day, they were always the second choice.

But despite the way they could feel the cauldron in their heart spilling over, their body moved, wiping their eyes and turning away from the door.

The walk through town was quiet, the streets empty. Wind bit at their skin, cruel and cold with winter approaching. Their second Christmas after Mom and Dad split. Not that they really cared for the holiday anymore anyways. But maybe they could get Susie something nice, if the world hadn’t ended by then. Or if she hadn’t abandoned them for Noelle come Christmas time . The holidays were more her thing anyways.

The cold made Kris remember a younger Noelle, a Noelle before Dess disappeared; her curly blonde hair done in two messy braids with red ribbons, all giggles as she handed Kris a bag of carefully decorated gingerbread monsters. They remembered the way butterflies thrashed in their stomach at her smile, the way they snatched it with flushed cheeks and shared them with her despite wanting them all for themself.

Even thinking about it made the butterflies thrash again, now joined by more that crawled up into their throat and made it hard to speak, hard to think, hard to breathe-

They blinked and they were at the lake.

Of course it would take them here. It seemed to enjoy their suffering at times.

After the festival, all they could think of at the lake was Susie and Noelle laughing with each other, Noelle in Susie’s arms. They were so happy….so happy without them. Kris knew it was selfish, but they wanted to be apart of it. Apart of their blooming romance. They wanted to be more than the third wheel.

Kris took a seat by the lakes edge. The cold made their nose hurt, the breeze gently rustling the trees.

So much had happened today, but they just wanted to forget it all. Pretend that Noelle and Susie weren’t together. Pretend Ralsei didn’t know of their dishonesty. Pretend their dad hadn’t been kidnapped. (‘She promised he’d be safe. She’d lied to them, although they can’t say they were surprised. After all, when you play stupid games you win stupid prizes’).

With slow movements, Kris reached down and untied their old battered shoes – even they were hand me downs, from Dess years ago, before their feet were even big enough to fit them. Placing them to their left, along with their cell phone, they plunged their hand into the cavity of their chest and pulled out the soul, shoving it into one of their shoes to keep it from bothering them.

Awkwardly shuffling into standing, their joints and muscles aching from being without the unfortunate essence of their being, Kris stepped into the frigid water.

One step, two steps, until the water was up to their knees, cold water saturating the bottom of their pants. The cold stabbing their skin until they couldn’t feel their feet anymore. This was nice, the moon shining down on them and the dark water. Thoughts of Susie and Noelle that evening came to their mind again, they shook them away.

One step, two steps, until the water was at their hips, soaking the bottom of their sweatshirt. Their legs were freezing, they revelled in the sting. Was the water this cold when Susie stepped in? Was she just that strong, that this didn’t phase her? Or were they just weak.

One step, two steps, the water was at their waist. Their sleeves drenched. The scars on their wrists ached from the cold. This is what they deserved. For their betrayal, their jealousy, their stupid stupid feelings.

One step—

“Kris?”

A familiar voice called from the shore.

They turned around.

Everything was dark except for her. Curly blonde hair, messier than usual. Delicate antlers. Large doe eyes. All lit up by the shine of the moon.

“Noelle?”

Kris called tentatively, their voice shaking – whether it was from anxiety or the cold they couldn’t tell. The butterflies once again thrashed in their stomach and up their chest, making it hard to breathe. Or maybe that was the cold too?

“Kris! What are you doing? It’s freezing!”

She called, concern dripping from her voice, reminding them just how sweet she is; like a candy cane.

“Looking at the moon.”

They replied back. But what were they really doing ? They hadn’t thought about it hard. They’d just started walking in the hopes they’d stop thinking about today. But had they really intended on coming back to shore? They weren’t sure anymore.

Their body felt heavy, and the shore was so far away. Maybe they shouldn’t bother going back. Then Noelle and Susie wouldn’t have to be burdened with their stupid feelings and actions…

“-Kris? Stay there! I’m coming to get you!”

Through blurry vision, Kris watched as Noelle’s valuables quickly joined theirs.

Then, as she waded through the frigid water.

Until she was infront of them. Her warm hands grabbing theirs from the water and leading their heavy legs through the lake and back to the shore.

They could barely understand what she was muttering, but there was a frown on her pretty freckled face. Her hands trembled, and in the back of their mind Kris worried that she’d get sick.

Once they were out of the water, they watched as she gathered their things, shoving both their phones in her sweatervest’s patch pocket before taking hold of their hand.

Despite her fur being wet, her hand was warm in theirs.

Between the mutters they couldn’t comprehend, they understood when she gently assured them “you’re gonna be okay Kris.”

They didn’t deserve to be.

The rest was a blur. They remembered the chattering of Noelle’s teeth and the sound of hooves hitting tar. Then the terrible screech of the Holiday gate. Followed by almost falling down the stairs as Noelle lead– more like hauled–them upstairs to her room.

Then her muttering, followed by her repeated panicked apologises. “I’m so sorry Kris! Sorry sorry-“ as she stripped them of their sopping clothes. They weren’t sure what was worse, the freezing cold of their body or her warm hand brushing against the vertical scar on their chest – the consequence of ripping out their soul. They could feel how carefully she dried their shivering body, dressing them with what they were sure the only clothes that fit them, before covering them in thick blankets.

Her reassurances followed. “It’s gonna be okay- you’ll be okay-“ even out of it like this, they could tell it was more for her than them.

“I’m gonna call Ms.Toriel- she can help bring you to the hospital.”

That brought them back to their mind. With cotton in their mouth, and a body that felt clumsy- they reached out a hand from their cocoon of blankets. “No- not- no hospital” they struggled to speak, sure they were slurring their words.

“But Kris! You have hypothermia- you need to-“

“No!” Even with their incorporative tongue they managed to shout.

Noelle let out a frustrated sigh but relented.

“Fine!- okay. just- I’m going to go get you something to drink. Don’t move.”

She gave them a frustrated look as she left, her tail stiff instead of its usual sway as she walked. Kris knew how much their refusal worried her, it always had.

Looking around, they spotted their shoes abandoned on the floor by the door.

“I know you can move.” Kris spat, their words still a little slurred. “Hurry up, before she gets back.” They hissed, but all the soul did was peak out from where it had fully retreated into their red shoes. Like it didn’t want any part in this. Of course it wouldn’t come back the only time they wanted it to. (The only time they didn’t want to have to speak for themselves)

The door creaked open again, and the soul wiggled back into its shoe.

Noelle pushed the door shut with her hoof as she carried a drink in each hand and a heat pack under her arm.

Kris’s eyes followed her as she set the drinks down on her desk, then as she crouched by them. They shivered a little as Noelle gently moved aside some of the blankets to slide it into their burrito of blankets and against their bare neck. It was pleasantly warm, like a fresh slice of butterscotch pie.

Wriggling their hands out from their blankets, Kris held their hands out expectingly. Noelle huffed a little laugh and passed them one of the mugs – white with little Christmas trees all over it.

Kris smiled as they took a sip. It was hot coco, and just how they liked it; far too much coco powder for the amount of hot water and milk used. It was obnoxiously sweet, so much so that it made their stomach churn, but the fact she even remembered left their cheeks warm and their chest achey.

Too focused on their feelings, Kris didn’t notice Noelle had sat down until she shuffled close enough to almost be touching.

“Kris….what were you doing?- In…in the lake, I mean. You know it’s cold.” Noelle looked over at them, and Kris looked back.

Their throat tightened as they tried to think of what to say. How to explain themself. How to explain it. Kris hadn’t really thought very hard about it. They’d just wanted everything to stop, wanted to forget, wanted the cauldron of their heart to stop bubbling with feelings they could never share with anyone. How could they tell her that? Tell her they had almost gotten themselves killed because they were jealous.

(Even if there was more to it than that…she couldn’t know about their involvement in the dark fountains popping up, not yet.)

They truly were a coward. They should have just—

“Kris?” Noelle softly interrupted their spiral, her fluffy hand reaching to take one of theirs from its place on the warm mug.

Her grasp so gentle, so caring. Kris didn’t deserve this. They didn’t deserve her friendship, and she didn’t deserve the stress they brought her. Her dad had just got in an accident that afternoon, how dare they make things even more stressful for her.

“Kris are you okay?” She prodded again when they were still silent.

“I-” their breath stuttered as they tried to speak, their eyes burning and their throat constricting. They hated crying, but they couldn’t blink back the tears.

“I just wanted to forget today.” They finally mumbled, feeling particularly pathetic as they put down their mug to wipe away their tears.

Noelle’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

“Forget? Why? Oh gosh, you didn’t really wanna go with Berdly did you? I’m sorry if-“

“No! No it’s not that it’s just.. that I-“ Kris interrupted, but they choked up. They couldn’t bare to look at Noelle.

“That what Kris?” Noelle asked softly.

“That- I- you and- and- just- I- I’m jealous okay!” They finally shouted, shattering the silence in the room. Noelle’s confusion only grew.

“What?” Kris finally turned to look at Noelle.

“I’m jealous of you and Susie! It’s always ‘Susie this Susie that’ with you recently! And- and now! All day- all day Susie has been talking about you! It’s always you! But what about me? Who will I have when you two leave! When you finally realise I’m not good enough for you! That I never was and never will be?! That’s why I never told you that- that I- that..”

Kris couldn’t finish their sentence. They choked on their tears. They truly were a coward. 12 years of crushing on the same girl and they still couldn’t tell her how they really felt.

They’d never been very good at feelings, even as a kid, even before Dess disappeared and everything changed.

“Never told me…what?” Noelle asked, her voice soft and yet so loud in the quiet of the night. Just looking in her eyes they could tell she was trying to process everything they had said, trying to think of something else to say.

“That I-“ Kris swallowed, choking a bit on air as they tried to force themself to say what’s gone unsaid for the past decade. If they didn’t say it now, they weren’t sure they’d ever get another chance. Not if the prophecy was right. Not if, come tomorrow, Susie and Noelle started officially dating.

Was reality so cruel that the two people they liked had to get together?

“I- I like you Noelle! I have since we were kids, and I miss the way we were! I miss you.” They looked away, their cheeks flushed red even with the tears still trying to fall.. When they looked back, Noelle’s whole face was so red she looked more like a tomato than a deer.

“Fahaha! You’re kidding right? This- this is some sort of cruel prank right? Like- like when you kissed my cheek as kids?” She sputtered, letting go of their hands to cover her flustered face.

They felt their chest squeeze, and the tears try to start blurring their vision as they shook their head no. Their eyes stayed on the ground this time.

“I-“ Noelle started and stopped, moving her hands away from her face and onto her lap.

“Why now?” She finally whispered, and Kris looked up again to see big doe eyes glossy with unshed tears.

“Wha-“

“Why now! Why when- when I have something going for me! When Susie finally likes me back?!. Why tell me now? Do you know how long I’ve wanted to hear you say that!?” Noelle shouted, angrily wiping away her tears with clenched fists.

“Im sorry for waiting so long but- but you’re better off with Susie. All I’ve ever done if hurt you. I’m just being selfish even telling you.” Kris admitted. They were a selfish coward for ever waiting this long.

“No.” Noelle grabbed their shoulders, forcing them to face her. Her grip was so firm it hurt a little. Kris didn’t mind.

“No…?” Kris was confused by Noelle’s response, staring at her through their hair.

“You’ve done so much more than hurt me Kris. You- you get me! You really care! I trust you more than anybody else in the world, you’re the only person I can truly be myself around and I can’t imagine my life without you in it! Kris I- I love you! And I always have!”

Noelle panted as she finished ranting, a few rogue tears dripping down her cheeks, her eyes brimming with emotions Kris couldn’t even begin to understand.

They awkwardly shrugged the blankets off and pulled Noelle into a tight hug, which she returned. She smelled sweet, like gingerbread and cinnamon, her warm embrace inviting.

“I love you too Noelle” They whispered, resting their chin on her delicate shoulder.

The two were silent for who knows how long. Kris could feel their eyes growing heavy, but they didn’t want to let go. Who knew if they’d ever get to hold Noelle like this again?

But, like everything else in their life, it had to come to an end.

Noelle pulled back, a guilty look on her face.

“Kris. I- I love you. But I really like Susie too. I… I don’t know what to do.”

Kris frowned, but refused to let themselves cry over this again. They had to pick what was best for Noelle.

“Be with her. She may not seem it but Susie is the kindest person I have ever met. She cares a lot about you Noelle. You deserve someone like her.” Kris reached out and gently grabbed Noelle’s hands in their own.

“Are you sure…that you’ll be okay?” She murmured, her thumb gently running over the back of Kris’s hand soothingly.

“I will….but, if you’ll let me be selfish one more time, can I ask for one more thing?”

Kris could feel the butterflies beating their stomach as they spoke, like they were angry that they would just give her away like this after 12 years of pining. When she was so close, when she could finally be theirs. But they knew it would be too selfish of them to ask her to be with them instead of Susie. They didn’t want to hurt Susie like that, especially when the butterflies fluttered for her too.

“What is it?” She questioned, her coco brown eyes staring into theirs.

“Can…can we cuddle? Like we did as kids? Just tonight.” Kris could feel their warmth in their cheek as they nervously looked away.

Noelle giggled, but nodded.

“Yeah, we can. We should probably go to bed now then, it’s late.”

She let go of their hands to stand up, offering Kris a hand which they willingly took.

Just like when they were kids, Kris crawled onto Noelle’s bed, lying on the side against the wall. Noelle joined them after turning off the light, bringing one of the blankets Kris had abandoned earlier and spreading it over the two of them.

Silently opening her arms, Kris crawled into them, resting their forehead against her chest and laying one of their arms over her side. She adjusted the arm they were laying over and rested her other arm over them in return.

Finally getting comfortable, Kris peered up at Noelle — who had a gentle smile on her face.

“Goodnight Noelle…” Kris murmured as they tilted their head back down and closed their eyes.

They could feel Noelle’s breath on their scalp as she rested her head on top of Kris’s.

“Goodnight Kris…”.

No hateful, bigoted or transphobic asks Any mentions of Kris or Ralsei will be referred to with they/them for Kris and he/they for Ralsei (for now on Ralsei's part at least)

I go by they/them here (but only I let the Fun Gang use she/her pronouns as well as they/them)

Please note that I am only referencing UTY to highlight my train of thought. I am NOT trying to suggest any connections between UTY and UTDR.

I try not to draw too heavily from AU's, but I noticed a pattern in UTY that made me realize something about UTDR. So, in UTY, almost all of the bosses become op simply to defend their own pride:

Decibat fights us to shut us up so he can go back to sleep. We don't even meet him in Genocide.

Dalv has some hidden power that we never see- he says at the end of a Pacifist that he "held back," which would make us think he would be difficult in Genocide, but he's not. He just assumes he's imagining us and the whole battle plays out exactly the same as in Pacifist.

El Bailador isn't even trying to fight, he just wants to dance, and we get hurt in the process. He doesn't appear in Genocide; presumably, he fled with the other monsters.

The Feisty Four only attack in Pacifist/Neutral because they're mad at Star and taking it out on you. We never even see them in Geno.

Starlo is difficult in Pacifist because he's defending his wounded ego, he's mad at himself but taking it out on you, but we don't even get a real battle in Genocide.

Axis is always following the instructions programmed into him by a monster with a deep-seated hatred of humans.

Ceroba is ridiculously hard in Pacifist because she loathes herself and is taking it out on you, but doesn't even get a proper second phase in Geno.

In all of these cases, the only one they are protecting in Pacifist is themselves (except Axis, who is strictly following programming). When it comes down to facing a Genocidal murderer, they just can't muster enough fighting spirit to do much of anything. Heck, Ceroba is only difficult in Geno because of revenge and pure rage. She says she's protecting monsters from us, but the only real reason she's fighting is because she's pissed at us for killing Starlo.

And... we actually see a similar pattern in UTDR:

Toriel fights us under the pretense of "protecting" us (which never made much sense to me, tbh), and she can muster almost no fighting spirit. It's very difficult to force her to kill you. And we one-hit her in Geno, she does no damage, she has no defense.

Maddie is semi-difficult in Pacifist/Neutral because they claim to be taking revenge for their cousin, but she can't even remember their name, and she flees as soon as Blookie starts crying on her. In Geno, Maddie stops caring about their cousin as soon as they merge with their dummy and become Gladdie. We don't even get a proper Maddie fight in Geno.

Muffet is semi-difficult even after a couple of playthrus, and what's her reasoning? Partly to save the spiders, but her motivation is mostly money- she was paid to kill us. She doesn't give a fig about other monsters at all, just spiders. We don't even encounter Muffet in Geno.

Mettaton. What's his reason for fighting us in Pacifist/Neutral? Purely selfish: he wants to be the star, not just in the Underground, but on the surface. Killing us and giving our SOUL to Asgore is just his way of accomplishing that. He doesn't give up until: a) we blow his arms and legs off so that he can't be much of a star at all anymore; and b) he gets a call from Blookie. Remembering what actually matters in life is what makes him end the fight. And in Geno, MTT becomes a literal one-hit wonder. When he has to fight to try to SAVE the world, he just isn't cut out for the job.

Asgore. Yeah, he puts up a fight in Neutral. He doesn't want to, tho. He's tired of fighting. He's tired of killing. He doesn't really want to go to war against humanity on the surface. So we can beat him. And in Geno? Where tf was he when his entire kingdom was being decimated??? We get to the throne room and he just offers us tea!

Flowey/Asriel, doesn't matter what name he goes by, every time we fight him, he's trying to defend his position as a wannabe god and keep playing with Chara forever. He fights because he has nothing left in the world to live for. He fights because that's the only thing he can still feel, the rage and the joy of killing. As soon as we remove that feeling from Asriel, he becomes a child's ghost, and then back to a flower, but a helpless and innocent one that can't fight at all anymore.

Lancer's first battle is the only time he poses any kind of a threat, because he's fighting for the right to become "son of the month." (And even I haven't ever died to him.) He's really not a threat in the fight against him and Susie, and he starts missing in the battle between him and Susie. He was never really out to hurt us at all.

Clover isn't too difficult because she's basically just fighting with herself and we got in the middle of it.

K. Round is never a threat, either, because they never wanted to fight, they were forced into it.

Susie (when we fight her alongside Lancer) is about as difficult as one would expect by the time the fight happens. She's fighting to maintain her persona as a bully and a bad person. In all actuality, tho... she's not as tough as we would expect from someone who keeps threatening to bite people's faces off.

Jevil is clinically insane, fighting and killing for the sheer fun of it, and is crazy hard.

Spade King is difficult, and his motivation is purely selfish. He doesn't care about his people- I mean, he wanted to throw his own son off a 5-story roof! He only cares about the Knight that put him into power, about maintaining that power status, and about revenge against the Lightners that sealed him away and never returned. His difficulty in battle is fueled by rage, revenge, and a lust for power.

Sweet Cap'n Cakes claim to be on a crusade, but they really only seem to be interested in having fun and making music without restrictions. Their battle is only difficult because all three of them attack at pretty much the same time and cannot be killed. Getting all of them to dance at the same time ends the battle. Their shop in the city disappears completely in a Snowgrave.

Rouxls is... um, can we even call that a battle? You know what, let's just not even try to analyze him right now....

Spamton. His only reason for fighting, in either Normal or Snowgrave, is to become a [[BIG SHOT]]. And we know how difficult Spammy is. In reality, he's no harder in Snowgrave than in a Normal Route. It just seems harder because there's only one hero character to fight him with.

There are only 3 characters between UTY and UTDR that are more difficult in a No Mercy route than in a Normal route:

Martlet is the last boss that is highly unlikely to kill you at all in Pacifist/Neutral. She turns into sans of UTY in a Geno- and that's her second battle. She's pretty OP when we encounter her in Snowdin, too.

Undyne is difficult enough in Pacifist/Neutral, but we have the option to flee. Her reasoning is that, since she is the Captain of the Royal Guard and Monsterkind's Hero, it is her duty to take our SOUL. But in Genocide, she changes completely. Her Determination, which causes her to melt in a Neutral, suddenly gives her the power to completely transform into a god-like character. And why? Because she is the only thing that stands between us and the world. Because she can see that we aren't just a human- we're some kind of demon that will destroy everything. She's not just fighting for monsters, but for humans, as well.

sans fights us for the same reason, albeit far too late to save the monsters. But he realizes that we will tear down the rest of the world if we keep going, and something inside him decides that he can't allow that. We actually don't know why he suddenly decides to care so much, but he does. He uses every ability he has, from karma, to Gaster blasters, to bone attacks, to teleportation, to even sleeping, just to make us quit. Because he knows we'll kill Asgore. And then there will be nothing to keep us from destroying the rest of the world. We NEVER fight sans in a Pacifist/Neutral, only in Geno. So this weird little guy with only 1 HP left to his name stands up to us, knowing full well that one day we will kill him, but he is literally the ONLY thing left to stop us from destroying the entire world. He may be too late, but when he finally steps up, it's for the right reason. There is no more selfishness in his battle than there is in Undyne's. Both sans and Undyne have no interest in personal gain or glory, but in saving the world.

And then there are 3 anomalies, all of them in UTDR:

Berdly is, to my knowledge, the only character to be no more and no less difficult in Snowgrave than in Normal. (Well, maybe a little easier in Snowgrave, but that's just because of Noelle's spells, not because Berdly himself changed.) He puts up the best fight that he possibly can, no matter whether he is protecting himself, or trying to save Noelle. This, to me, suggests 2 possibilities: a) he cares just as much about Noelle as he does about himself; or b) he really was fighting for Noelle in both routes. I don't think the second option is entirely true, since in a Normal fight, he does "hit [Noelle] in the face with a tornado," and talks more about himself and how superior he is to everyone else than he does about Noelle. But even so, I think she always was a big part of his reason for fighting.

Queen is the only character to have a difficult battle (with multiple phases, no less) in a Normal Route, and no battle at all in Genocide, who is not doing it for purely selfish reasons. Granted, it seems likely that she would want to preserve her comfortable, regal lifestyle, but not only does she never cite this as a reason for fighting, she doesn't even balk at having to leave her mansion and move into Ralsei's castle. The only reason she ever gives for fighting is trying to help the Lightners (the exact opposite of her ex-husband).

I say this all the time: Papyrus CANNOT kill you. Not without the player seriously breaking the game. And as I understand, at Undertale's initial release, he could kill you, accidentally, if certain conditions were met; but this happened very rarely and has since been entirely patched out. So. For all intents and purposes, he CANNOT kill you. So the fact that there is no real Papyrus battle in Genocide is kind of a moot point, since he was never going to kill you, anyway. And, as many people have pointed out, Papyrus should be able to kill you, probably even one-hit you no matter your LV, in a Pacifist/Neutral route. But he breaks the game to make sure that doesn't ever happen, whether by lowering his own stats, moving the final large bone in his "really cool regular attack," etc.

Leaving bae subtle hints like